Rack attachment for shelves



May 19, 1953 E. E. TAPLEY RACK ATTACHMENT FOR SHELVES Filed Aug. 1, 1951 Fig.

Emmett E. Tap/ey IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 19,1953

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE RACK ATTACHMENT FOB- SHELVES Emmett E. Tapley, Las Vegas, N. Mex.

Application August 1, 1951, Serial No. 239,752

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in shelf construction, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a rack, which in the nature of an attachment, may be applied to conventional shelves in grocery stores, drug stores, or the like, for the purpose of accommodating and displaying small items of merchandise.

In this connection it is to be noted that conventional shelves are usually widely spaced to accommodate merchandise items of substantial height. In many instances, the shelf spacing exceeds considerably the height of the merchandise thereon, and under such circumstances the instant rack attachment may be applied to the shelves for the purpose of accommodating small items of merchandise which would otherwise unnecessarily waste the limited amount of space on the shelves themselves.

An important feature of the instant invention resides in its structural arrangement which permits it to be readily applied to a conventional shelf without interfering with the placing or removal of merchandise on the shelf, while another important feature of the instant device lies in the arrangement of its merchandise supporting ledges, which facilitates displaying of the merchandise at the proper angle and eye level.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shelf structure, showing the invention applied to one of the shelves;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail, similar to that shown in Figure 2, but illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the general views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention comprises a rack attachment which is designated generally by the reference character Ill and is adapted to be applied to the front edge portion of a conventional shelf 12.

The rack attachment i is preferably formed from a single, elongated piece of material which is angulated so as to afford a downwardly and forwardly extending panel It provided at its upper edge with a horizontal flange Hi for securing to the shelf l2 by suitable fastening elements H3, while a forwardly and upwardly extending article supporting ledge 20 is provided at the lower end of the panel H, as shown.

A downwardly extending flange 22 is provided at the forward edge of the ledge 20, and a substantially U-shaped extension 24 is provided at the lower edge of the flange 22, this extension including vertically spaced upper and lower walls, 26 and 28, respectively, and a connecting back wall 30, as is clearly shown in Figure 2.

When in use, the lower wall 28 affords a supporting ledge for suitable merchandise as indicated as 32, while additional merchandise items 34 may be positioned on the ledge 20' so that they rest against the panel H in an inclined position. It is to be noted that the rack attachment I0 is so arranged that it does not interfere with the placing or removal of regular merchandise items 36 on the shelf underneath that to which the invention is applied.

Referring now to the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3, the same includes an article supporting ledge 20a, a panel Ma and a mounting flange I'Ba which is secured by fasteners l8a to the shelf l2a, as in the embodiment already described. However, the modified embodiment is provided at the forward edge of the ledge 20a with a downturned flange 40 which is doubled upon itself so as to extend upwardly as at 42, terminating in a downturned bead 44, the latter being disposed above the ledge 20a to sustain merchandise items on the latter.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A rack attachment for shelves, comprising a rearwardly inclined panel adapted at its upper edge for securing to a shelf, a forwardly inclined article supporting ledge provided at the lower edge of said panel, a downturned flange provided at the forward edge of said ledge, and a substantially U-shaped extension provided at the lower edge of said flange and including verinvention, what is I 3 tically spaced upper and lower walls and a back wall connecting the same together, the lower wall of said extension affording a second article supporting ledge.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 together with a rearwardly extending horizontal mounting flange provided at the upper edge of said panel, said back wall being disposed in a vertical plane intersecting said mounting flange.

EMME'IT E. 'TAPLEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Broeren Feb. 27, 1951 Ford June 25, 1918 Erlendson et a1. May 26, 1931 Lane et a1. Sept. 20, 1932 Mulet Apr. 20, 1937 Besancon Aug. 17, 1937 Krasberg Apr. 23, 1940 Phaneuf Jan. 30, 1951 

